It is well known to attach flash suppressors and noise-muffling devices (referred to as silencers) to the discharge end of the barrel of a firearm, such as a rifle or a handgun. It is desirable that the suppressor/silencer assembly be easily and quickly attached to and removed from the weapon, since the use of the suppressor/silencer is advantageous in some applications, and disadvantageous in others.
A number of systems have been developed for attachment of suppressors/silencers to rifle barrels, for example. Typically, the rifle barrel and the associated suppressor/silencer may be provided with mating threads. In other schemes, the suppressor/silencer and barrel may be provided with mating bayonet-type fittings which allow the suppressor/silencer to be attached quickly without multiple rotations of the silencer to the rifle barrel.
Regardless, however, of how the suppressor/silencer is secured to the rifle barrel, a common problem exists in maintaining a secure engagement between the rifle barrel and the suppressor/silencer. Because of the enormous forces and pressures associated with the discharge of firearm projectiles through a rifle bore and its associated suppressor/silencer, substantial vibrations may occur during the simple firing of the weapon which tends to cause the suppressor to become disengaged from the rifle barrel. Additionally, when the weapon to which a suppressor/silencer is attached is subjected to the ordinary jarring of transport and handling, or the use of such weapons in a combat environment, additional forces and vibrations can tend to cause the suppressor/silencer to loosen from the rifle barrel, even when the rifle is not being fired. In either event, it is desirable that a secure locking engagement exists between the rifle barrel and the suppressor/silencer.
It is critical that the suppressor/silencer remain tightly secured to the host weapon. If the suppressor/silencer is permitted to loosen in relation to the muzzle of the host weapon, the suppressor/silencer may become no longer concentrically aligned with the centerline of the host weapon's barrel. Such misalignment can cause projectiles exiting the weapon's barrel to impact the internal baffles or other components of the suppressor/silencer. This may result in only minor deformation of the components, but may also result in catastrophic failure of internal portions of the suppressor/silencer. The results of these types of failures can range from degraded performance of the suppressor/silencer to serious injury or death to the weapon's operator.
In the past, a number of techniques have been applied to the securement of a suppressor/silencer to a gun barrel. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,258, to Scanlon, teaches a silencer for a weapon which is threadably secured to the outer circumference of the discharge end of the gun barrel. A threadable connection is provided on the silencer to engage with threads on the end of the barrel. Beretta, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,418, teaches an apparatus for attaching a silencer to a firearm utilizing a plurality of sliding elements which engage the silencer adaptor to the frame of the weapon, without threadable means. Fluhr, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,820, teaches a method and apparatus for attaching a silencer to a firearm utilizing a spring-mounted cross slide which engages a groove in the outer surface of the barrel. Other efforts to secure the suppressor/silencer to the rifle barrel have utilized traditional lock washers, such as that taught by Stroup in U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,977. The difficulty associated with this type of engagement, however, is the tendency of conventional split lock washers to tilt the bore of the suppressor/silencer in relation to the rifle barrel. Additionally, the lock washer taught by Stroup is not captive, easily becoming lost or misplaced when the suppressor/silencer is removed from the rifle barrel.
The present invention is designed to overcome these limitations.